Islamabad: Nine persons were killed and 15 others injured on Saturday when a powerful blast ripped through a minibus on the outskirts of Peshawar city of northwest Pakistan, police officials said.

A bomb planted inside the minibus exploded as the vehicle was passing through a market in the suburb of Mattani on Saturday afternoon. Seven persons, including a woman, were killed instantly while two others died later in hospital, police officials said.

Fifteen injured people, including two women and a child, were taken to a nearby hospital. About 20 people were in the minibus at the time of the explosion.

Footage on television showed the vehicle was reduced to a heap of mangled metal.

Police said the bomb had contained an estimated five kilograms of explosives. The blast damaged several shops in the area.

The market closed down soon after the explosion. Security forces cordoned off the area and prevented people from approaching the minibus due to fears that it could contain more explosive devices.

No group claimed responsibility for the blast though such attacks are usually blamed on the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.